Midnight Fight
by flooj9235
Summary: "At least I'm not a stuck up, know-it-all Mudblood!" The moment the words popped out of her mouth, Ginny gasped, immediately sorry. Femmeslash! Rewritten!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a rewrite of the original Midnight Fight. Most things will stay the same, but I've tweaked it a little to where it's something I'm much more proud of. **

**The repetitive POVs are the same as before, and will not be around for the entire story. **

**The usual warnings and disclaimer: Not mine, beware of femslash and fluffiness. **

* * *

Ginny Weasely sat alone on a couch in the Gryffindor common room, watching the fire flicker in front of her. She looked up when she heard footsteps nearing her, unsurprised to see her best friend walking toward her. She offered Hermione a smile and a wave, trying not to look like she was staring at the older witch.

"Hi," Hermione murmured, walking around the couch to face Ginny. A sly look was on her face, and she reached up, loosened her tie and undid a few of the top buttons on her shirt, revealing enough cleavage to make Ginny's heartbeat quicken.

"Hey," Ginny replied, her eyes on Hermione. Could it be that her fantasy was finally coming true? After secretly loving Hermione for so long, would this be the moment that she would be able to express her feelings toward the brunette? Or would she react like she usually did and say nothing?

Hermione took Ginny's hands in her own and pulled Ginny up off the couch and close to her. She wrapped her arms around the younger girl, starting to dance them around the room. Soft music began playing in the background, and when Ginny let a confused look appear on her face, Hermione laughed. Ginny couldn't help but grin; she loved Hermione's laugh. The mere sound of it always sent shivers up and down her spine.

"So, Ginny," Hermione said, looping her arms around Ginny's neck and playing with Ginny's hair softly. She looked into Ginny's eyes, a smile on her face. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Oh?" Ginny was proud she even managed to get that out of her mouth. Normally, if Hermione got this close to her, she clammed up and couldn't say anything that sounded even slightly like speech. Even now she wondered if Hermione could hear the pounding of her heart or feel the tremble that coursed through Ginny's body.

"Mhm," Hermione nodded, watching Ginny with those adorable hazel eyes of hers. She grinned, leaning forward until she was mere centimeters away from kissing Ginny. "I love you," she breathed, so close to Ginny that Ginny could almost taste her.

Just as Hermione began to close the distance between them, Ginny woke up.

She sat bolt upright in her bed, staring into the darkness in front of her, her heart still pounding as it had been seconds ago in her dream. As it sunk in that Ginny had been dreaming, tears began burning in her eyes. "Damn it," she whispered, sinking back against her pillow.

Of _course_ it was a dream. Ginny knew she would never be so lucky as to have that happen to her in real life. Yes, she was in love with Hermione Granger. Hermione had been the one person that hadn't judged her for writing to Tom Riddle. Ginny had spent a lot of time with the brunette after that year, and they had easily become best friends.

But just a few months ago, Ginny had realized that she felt more for Hermione than just friendship. It didn't take her long to come to the conclusion that she was in love with her best friend. After all, Hermione had the only smile that could make Ginny forget how to breathe. It was Hermione that Ginny looked to for approval, and felt like she was flying when she got it. The brunette was the one that was constantly on Ginny's mind, filling her thoughts and being responsible for the silly smiles that Ginny wasn't aware she wore. Ever since she'd realized, Ginny had been having dreams in which Hermione or herself would express their feelings for each other, only to wake just before the elusive kiss.

Ginny wiped tears from her face angrily, reaching for her bathrobe. She slipped out of bed and pulled on the robe over her pajamas, heading out of her dorm so she wouldn't disturb the other girls. She walked down the hallway, pausing at the balcony to see if anyone was in the common room. Relief flooded her senses when she saw that the common room was empty, and she quickly padded down the stairs and headed toward the couch nearest the dying fire.

Ginny grabbed one of the pillows and held it to her, burying her face in the scarlet fabric and letting herself cry as she dropped onto the couch. _Some Gryffindor I am, _she thought miserably. _I can't even tell my best friend that I love her._

The images from Ginny's dream flashed in front of her again, and Ginny bit back a sob. _Ginny Weasely, you are being pathetic, _she chastised herself, hoping to make herself see the error of her ways._ You're sitting here crying over the impossible. If you can't just tell her, you should forget it and move on. Nothing will happen because you cry your eyes out. _Her pep talk did nothing to settle her whirling emotions, and Ginny pressed the pillow to her face to muffle the sobs that started wracking her lean body.

"Gin?"

Ginny tensed immediately, both startled and angry at hearing the voice that haunted her dreams. Hermione. She immediately hoped the brunette hadn't seen her tears; she hated crying in front of other people. "Ginny?" Hermione called again, sounding uncertain.

Ginny let the pillow drop into her lap, not turning to look at the brunette. Maybe Hermione didn't know that she was crying. "What?" she replied after a moment. She was met with the sound of Hermione hurrying down the staircase and into the common room.

Hermione knelt in front of Ginny, grasping the younger girl's hands in her own. "What's the matter, Gin? Can I help?"

Ginny opened her mouth and hesitated, sensing that this was a perfect opportunity to come clean. Then images of a disgusted, offended Hermione flashed before her and she snapped her jaw shut. She shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"You've been crying," Hermione pointed out softly as she gave Ginny's hands a gentle squeeze. "I'd say there's definitely something wrong. I'm right here if you want to talk about it."

Ginny bit back her distress at having been caught crying. Part of her was offended that Hermione had seen her at such a weak point. "I... can't," the redhead responded, hating that her voice wobbled just enough to make her cringe.

Hermione seemed to sense all the pain rushing through Ginny. Her face fell slightly, and she looked as though she wanted to hug Ginny.

The younger girl knew that if Hermione got any closer, her own will to keep her secret hidden would break. Rather than risk collapsing into Hermione's arms and telling her everything, Ginny turned away slightly, closing herself off from the brunette's embrace.

"You'll hate me if I tell you," Ginny continued haltingly. "I'm fine on my own."

"No, I won't," Hermione retorted, looking somewhat upset that Ginny would even dare think that. "You're my friend, Gin! I won't hate you!"

"You will," Ginny corrected, closing her eyes and trying not to imagine the hatred she expected on Hermione's face. "Just leave me alone. I'm fine." Her voice shook dangerously as her body threatened her with tears again.

Hermione scoffed. "Well, all right then, provided the definition of 'fine' now equates to sobbing into a pillow at two in the morning?" she retorted sarcastically. Her face softened a little. "Gin-"

"Hermione, **please**, just leave me alone."

A look of hurt passed across the older girl's face. "Gin, we've been friends for years. I hate seeing you hurting, and I think I know you well know that-"

"If you know me so well, why are you not leaving me alone?" Ginny snapped, her eyes burning with fresh tears. She ignored the retort Hermione was about to send her way, letting her frustration take over. "Oh wait, I bet I know. You just want another chance to prove that you know everything. Well, I have news for you, Hermione. I may not know as much as you, but at least I'm not being a stuck up, know-it-all Mudblood!"

The moment the words popped out of her mouth, Ginny gasped, immediately sorry. She felt the color drain from her face as she stared at Hermione, who looked as though she'd just been stabbed, told her dog died, and lost her best friend all at the same time.

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes and she pressed her lips together firmly before getting up and walking back to her dorm without a word.

Ginny watched Hermione leave, already being eaten up by guilt. "Damn it," she whispered, hugging the pillow to her chest again. With the dream and their fight still swimming in her mind, Ginny cried herself to sleep on the couch. When she woke again, the sun was just beginning to rise over the castle.

It occurred to the youngest Weasely that there was a Quidditch match, and she got up and headed for her dorm miserably. Rather than fall onto her bed and isolate herself from the world, Ginny grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the showers. She stood under the hot water and let herself cry some more, hoping to get it all out of her system before she had to face anyone.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione lay awake, thinking about a particularly long Potions essay Snape had assigned her class as punishment. She had been partnered with Ron and Harry to brew a very difficult potion. Ron hadn't been paying attention, and while he was talking to Harry about a Quidditch game, he swung his arms out and knocked most of the ingredients into the potion. It had blown up and turned into muck before Hermione could even begin to yell at Ron. It was needless to say that Ron was now on his own when he needed help writing his essay.

As Hermione began to doze off, she heard the sound of a door opening and closing, followed by hurried footsteps toward the common room. A quick glance at the clock on her nightstand told her that it was well past midnight. Curious, Hermione got up and pulled a pair of pajama pants on under her nightgown and headed out of her dorm to see who else was awake at such an ungodly hour.

She stopped at the balcony overlooking the common room, surprised to see her best friend curled up on a couch, her face buried in a pillow. Hermione stood there silently for a long moment, trying to see what Ginny was doing. When Ginny's shoulders heaved with what was unmistakably a sob, Hermione spoke up. "Gin?"

She saw Ginny tense and drop the pillow. The redhead didn't reply.

"Ginny?" Hermione tried again.

"What?" Ginny replied, her voice thick from crying.

Hermione turned and dashed down the stairs, hurrying over to her friend. She hated to see anyone that she cared about crying; she just felt like she had a giant responsibility to help make things better. She wasn't sure why, but the feeling was especially overwhelming when she saw Ginny crying. Seeing the redhead's tears made something inside Hermione hurt, and she was sure she dreaded the sight more than a confrontation with all the dementors of Azkaban. Hermione would do anything she could to help her best friend and make her tears go away.

Hermione knelt in front of Ginny, grasping the younger girl's hands in her own. "What's the matter, Gin? Can I help?"

Ginny opened her mouth and hesitated, and a look of pain flashed across her face. She closed her mouth again and shook her head.

"You've been crying," Hermione pointed out softly as she gave Ginny's hands a gentle squeeze. "I'd say there's definitely something wrong. I'm right here if you want to talk about it."

"I... can't," the redhead responded, her voice shaking slightly.

Hermione could see all the pain rushing through Ginny in the redhead's eyes. Her heart sank, and she was desperate to wrap Ginny up in a hug and tell her everything would be all right, but Ginny shifted and turned away.

"You'll hate me if I tell you," Ginny continued haltingly. "I'm fine on my own."

"No, I won't," Hermione responded, aching at the emotional slap to the face. They were best friends; how could anything Ginny had to say change that? "You're my friend, Gin! I won't hate you!"

"You will," Ginny corrected, closing her eyes as tears filled them. "Just leave me alone. I'm fine." Her voice shook dangerously and the brunette allowed herself a little frustration at Ginny's stubbornness.

Hermione scoffed. "Well, all right then, provided the definition of 'fine' now equates to sobbing into a pillow at two in the morning?" she retorted sarcastically. Her conscience immediately got the better of her and she calmed herself down, softening her voice. "Gin-"

"Hermione, **please**, just leave me alone."

Hermione didn't bother to hide the hurt at being pushed away. She didn't know what was so bad that it would cause her normally upbeat friend to be so upset, and tried appealing to Ginny's more logical side. "Gin, we've been friends for years. I hate seeing you hurting, and I think I know you well know that-"

"If you know me so well, why are you not leaving me alone?" Ginny snapped, her eyes shining with fresh tears.

Hermione's jaw dropped open and she began to respond, but Ginny interrupted her again.

"Oh wait, I bet I know," Ginny continued, an almost hateful tone in her voice. "You just want another chance to prove that you know everything. Well, I have news for you, Hermione. I may not know as much as you, but at least I'm not being a stuck up, know-it-all Mudblood!"

Hermione froze, unable to believe what she'd just heard. It would have been expected, coming from the likes of Malfoy or the rest of the Slytherins, but from _Ginny?_ The words hurt more than Hermione could ever have imagined. Tears blurred Hermione's vision and she rose, willing herself not to cry as she turned and left, heading back to her room.

Once she was safely back in her bed, she charmed the curtains with a silencing spell and cried herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ginny?"

Ginny looked up at Harry, who was sitting across from her at the table in the Great Hall. "What?" she asked nervously.

Harry saw the anxiety in Ginny's eyes and a knowing smile spread across his face. "Nervous about the game later?"

Ginny nodded mutely, not wanting to reveal the real reason for her odd behavior. She trusted Harry, sure, but he didn't really need to know all the details about her and Hermione's fight. She still couldn't believe she'd gotten so worked up that she called Hermione a Mudblood.

"Do you feel up to filling for Dawson?" Harry asked, drawing her out of her thoughts as he referred to one of the Gryffindor beaters. Dawson was out sick and hadn't been allowed out of the Hospital wing in time to play in the game. Harry, being the captain of the team, had decided to have Ginny play in Dawson's place, letting one of the second string team members fill Ginny's usual spot as Chaser.

Ginny swallowed hard before answering. "I think so. We practiced all we could yesterday, so I'm as ready as I'm going to get. Doesn't help the nerves, though."

Harry chuckled, gesturing to the empty plate in front of Ginny. "Eat something. It'll get your mind off the game."

Ginny shook her head, pushing the plate away. "I'm not hungry." Truth be told, she was too stressed out to eat. Not because of the game, but because of Hermione. She was so upset with herself that she felt sick to her stomach and knew there was no way she was going to be able to force herself to eat.

"Try anyway," Harry advised, turning away as someone clapped him on the back and wished the team good luck.

Ginny watched as her plate disappeared, a heavy sigh escaping her. Despite not wanting to think about the harsh words that had flown between them, Ginny cast a wayward glance down the table, where Hermione was sitting with Ron and talking about something in hushed tones. She moved to get up, waving Harry's questioning glance away. "Just going for a walk to clear my head," she said, walking away before he could protest.

Ginny walked out of the Great Hall and the castle, going for a walk around the grounds. The crisp morning air soothed Ginny a little, and she forced herself not to think of anything pertaining to her best friend.

For a while, she managed to keep her thoughts from going astray, but soon enough they were back on Hermione. _A Mudblood? For Merlin's sake, where the bloody hell did that come from? Why did I say that to her? _Ginny felt the sting of tears in her eyes again, blinking them back fiercely. Why **had** she called Hermione, the girl she loved, such an awful name? _I was scared and hurting, and I'm a right git for letting that take over. _

The fight remained on Ginny's mind until she heard the sound of horns from the Quidditch pitch, signaling that it was time for the players to meet in the locker rooms, and for the spectators to begin filling their seats.

Ginny swore and hurried off toward the pitch, trying to clear her mind for the game.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione awoke curled around her pillow, her head foggy and her stomach sore. She realized she'd cried herself to sleep, and after a moment of bewilderment, she remembered her encounter with Ginny. Tears burned in the brunette's eyes as Ginny's insult echoed through her mind once again.

She grabbed her wand and mumbled a quick silencing charm on her bed curtains just as she began to cry all over again. Her tears didn't last long; her body was still exhausted from crying the night before. The brunette muttered the counter spell, still sniffling as she calmed down.

After a few moments, she pushed aside the curtains and got out of her bed, grabbing some clothes and changing. She nodded a greeting at her roommates, ignoring their concerned stares at her red-rimmed eyes.

Part of her wanted to hide in her room forever so she wouldn't have to face Ginny, but the rest of her knew she may as well leave the dormitories now and get it over with. She took a deep breath and slipped into the bathroom, freshening up before making her way down to the common room.

Ron was half asleep on the couch Ginny had been sitting on the night before, though he perked up a little when he saw Hermione. "Hey, 'Mione!" he said, getting to his feet. "I'm starving! Ready to go down and eat? Harry already left, but I stayed and waited for you." A little flicker of pride appeared in his eyes, as though his waiting was a marvelous feat.

Hermione nodded wordlessly, following Ron's lead as he headed for the Great Hall. Fortunately, she realized, she could ask Ron about Ginny's behavior. Despite the hurtful remark Ginny had made, Hermione was worried about the younger girl. Ginny hadn't seemed like herself for a while now, and had apparently reached her breaking point last night. The brunette supposed that, since the insult was spewed in the heat of the moment, it wasn't sincere. The thought made her even more concerned, and as much as it scared her, she still wanted to be there and listen to Ginny rant about whatever was upsetting her.

The only problem was, the girls hadn't ever really fought or been hostile to one another, so Hermione had no idea how to handle the situation, much less go about talking to Ginny again.

She and Ron entered the Great Hall a few minutes later, and as Hermione slid into the seat beside Ron, she noticed Ginny a few seats away, sitting with Harry and talking to him quietly. Hermione's heart sank as she saw the miserable look on Ginny's face.

"Ron," she said, turning to her friend. "I need to ask you something."

"Mmf," he responded, looking at her expectantly as he shoved more food in his mouth.

Hermione tried not to make a disgusted face, instead letting her mind focus on the problem at hand. "It's about Ginny."

Ron's eyes widened, and he made a valiant attempt at chewing before swallowing. "What's going on? Is she okay?"

Hermione sighed, playing with her silverware absently. "I don't know. I tried to talk to her last night, and she started yelling at me. We've never had a fight, so I don't know what to do about it." She scrubbed a hand over her face, wishing she could wave her wand and have everything be fixed.

Ron, surprisingly, looked somewhat thoughtful, even going so far as to set his fork down. "Ginny's a mess when she's upset. So long as you avoid any hexes she flings at you, you'll be fine."

Hermione frowned. "I think you misunderstood me. I don't want to have her hex me, Ronald. I want to make things better."

The Weasely looked confused, as though he'd never thought of mending a situation before. "Well, erm... she's a wild one, so she'll be right mean and fierce for a bit. Her moods always blow over, though, so she'll get over it." He absently grabbed at some more breakfast goodies before speaking again. "Give her some time, I guess." He looked at Hermione curiously before popping a piece of sausage into his mouth. "What'd she say to you, anyway?"

Hermione hesitated, unsure of whether telling Ron was the best idea. She envisioned him either getting mad or laughing in her face, and neither option appealed to her, so she opted to stay vague. "We just exchanged some harsh words. I don't really want to get into it."

Ron shrugged and turned back to his meal, earning an eye roll from the brunette.

Hermione turned to look for Ginny again, and felt a pang of disappointment when she saw the youngest Weasley stepping out of the Great Hall. Another part of her felt relieved, and Hermione was immediately angry with that part of herself. Ginny was her best friend! She shouldn't be feeling relieved that Ginny was hurting, even if Ginny had hurt her.

With a sigh, Hermione brushed the thoughts from her mind, half-heartedly helping herself to some breakfast.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

At the sound of the starting horns, the Quidditch teams flew out of their respective sides, into the bright sunlight.

Ginny stopped after doing a few loops, nodding a greeting at Harry. He grinned enthusiastically, looking as though he felt on top of the world. He shot over to Ginny's side, quickly glancing around for Madam Hooch to make sure the game wasn't about to start. "You ready?" he asked, clapping her on the shoulder.

Ginny gave him a half-hearted grin and a thumbs up.

Harry returned the smile, heading off to give the rest of the team a last word of encouragement before soaring up to his place in the sky.

Madam Hooch called the two team captains down and made them shake hands, then sent them back to their positions. A second later, she opened the case and the game balls came flying out. The horns sounded again, and the players zoomed off.

Harry and Malfoy immediately shot off after a small golden blur that Ginny knew was the Snitch.

She started chasing after the nearest bludger, whacking it toward the Slytherin players. Ginny cheered for herself when she threw the Slytherins off course and made them lose control of the Quaffle. A few seconds later, Gryffindor had scored the first goal of the game.

Ginny watched as the Slytherin keeper tossed the Quaffle to one of his teammates and play began again. Just then, Harry shot past her, Malfoy hot on his tail. Ginny laughed, feeling much more relaxed now that she was playing Quidditch. Everything else seemed unimportant while she was up in the air.

"Hey! Ginny!" a Gryffindor chaser called from behind her, soaring past her. "Let's move, huh?"

"I'm coming," she yelled, hoping her words would catch up to her teammate as he departed. She leaned forward and shot after him, neatly dodging a few other players and whacking another bludger toward Slytherin.

Thirty minutes later, the game was nearly tied, 170 to 150, Gryffindor. Ginny's arm was getting tired; even after the extra practice sessions she'd had, she wasn't used to hitting bludgers around. Fortunately, the bludgers seemed to have calmed down; they weren't constantly attacking the Gryffindor players.

No sooner had the relieved realization crossed her mind than she heard someone swear loudly above her. Ginny looked up and saw a bludger headed for Harry, who was zooming around nearly a hundred feet above her, and wrenched her broom up and shot up into the sky. Just then, her lack of breakfast caught up with her. As she soared into the sky, she began feeling dizzy and weak. Her vision faded into thousands of shining spots flying around in front of her.

Immediately, Ginny stopped and leveled her broom out, drawing deep breaths in hopes that it would help. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, forgetting about the bludger that she had been chasing. As she opened her eyes again, Ginny saw the bludger change its course and head straight toward her.

She yelped and jerked her broom out of the way, narrowly missing the bludger. A split second later, she started swearing, having momentarily forgotten that she was a beater. It was her Chaser's instinct to avoid bludgers, not to chase them.

She held up her bat, whirling around as she looked for the bludger.

"Gin!" Harry yelled from up above her. "Up here!"

Ginny looked up, her eyes flying to Harry. The bludger was hot on his tail. She growled and started another near-vertical ascent toward Harry and the bludger. Again, she started to feel dizzy, and before she could stop to try and keep herself from passing out, she lost her grip and slipped off her broom.

Ginny felt herself plummeting toward the ground, but before she could even cry out, the world around her faded into darkness.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione hurried to the Quidditch stands, already late for the game. The sounds of the announcer commenting on the first goal for Gryffindor were audible from nearly a half mile away. She had waited until the last possible minute to decide whether or not to go to the game, knowing full well that Ginny would be there. It was the fact that Harry and Ron would be playing that finally convinced her to attend, knowing that they'd look for her.

Hermione took the stairs two at a time, quickly reached the seating, and slipped into a seat near some of the girls that she tutored. She looked up and let her eyes follow the players clad in Gryffindor colors, a ghost of a smile passing over her face when she located Harry. She watched as he flew around in a random pattern, noticing a small black dot begin to chase him. What little had sunk in when Ginny explained Quidditch to her began playing in her mind, and Hermione deduced that it was a bludger after Harry.

Suddenly, she was very frightened for her friend, remembering the jinxed bludger that had nearly killed Harry in his second year. "Come on," she whispered, looking around for a… what was it again? Smacker? Knocker? Anyone that could help get that bludger off Harry's tail was fine with her. Anyone, that is, until she saw Ginny soaring up to help Harry.

Ginny stopped suddenly and leaned forward for a moment, but Hermione was too far away to see what the redhead was doing. A jolt of panic raced through her gut; something was wrong, she could tell. Ginny never stopped flying unless there was a serious problem.

Hermione clenched her hands into fists, willing Ginny to start flying again. After a few moments, Ginny started back after Harry, going faster than she had the first time. Hermione relaxed a little, letting her hands uncurl as she watched her best friend streak into the air. Hermione looked to Ron, who was playing the keeper position, watching and cringing as Ron failed to block a shot.

"…And that's ten points for Slytherin, bringing their total to-" The voice of the commentator cut off with a gasp. "One of the Gryffindor players has just fallen off their broom!"

Hermione's heart jumped into her throat, and her eyes shot up to where Ginny had been a few seconds prior. A strangled cry escaped her when she saw Ginny plummeting to the ground. Hermione jumped out of her seat and rushed forward to the edge of the box, eyes glued to the redhead.

Not twenty feet away, a Slytherin beater noticed Ginny and aimed a bludger at her. With a loud crack, he sent the charmed ball directly toward Ginny and it smashed into her head with a dull thud, audible all throughout the stadium. Just seconds after being clobbered by the bludger, Ginny crashed into the ground.

"Ginny!" Hermione screamed, her blood freezing in her veins.

Almost immediately, a fight broke out between the teams. Hermione whipped out her wand and aimed at the player that had knocked the bludger toward Ginny. "**_Furnunculus_**," she yelled, sending the jinx toward the green garbed Slytherin. Before she had heard his cry of pain, Hermione had gotten up and raced out of the booth, down the stairs, and toward the field. By the time she arrived on the field, Madam Pomfrey had already levitated Ginny's limp body onto a stretcher and was ready to rush back to the castle. Hermione raced over to help, terrified for Ginny.

Madam Pomfrey noticed the brunette scrambling toward them and caught her by the shoulders before she could get anywhere near Ginny. "Stop right there, Miss Granger," she ordered. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay behind. Miss Weasely's injuries are going to require my complete attention, and I can't be focused on anyone else milling about."

"But-"

"No. Stay back. This could become gruesome very quickly." The old witch was very stern. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a patient to attend to."

Madam Pomfrey turned and hurried away with Ginny before Hermione had a chance to say anything.

The only thing Hermione saw of her best friend was a limp hand hanging off the side of the stretcher and a flash of red hair.

"All of you," Hermione vaguely heard Madam Hooch yelling. "Get down here this instant! This is no time for childish behavior!"

There was the sound of many players landing at once, and after a moment, Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Harry watching her concernedly. "How was she?" he panted, holding himself gingerly.

Hermione shrugged, not trusting her voice. Tears burned in her eyes and a moment later, she was crying into Harry's shoulder, praying that her best friend would be all right.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Ginny felt was an intense ache that encompassed her entire body. She moaned and tried to open her eyes, wondering where she was and what had happened. Her eyes wouldn't open. Ginny reached up and tried to feel her eyes, but her fingertips met bandages instead.

Ginny felt dizzy with fear. She reached for the blankets and pulled them tighter around her, suddenly terrified and feeling very alone.

Someone shifted beside her. "Gin?" It was Harry's voice. He sounded relieved and a little sleepy, as if he'd just woken up.

"Harry," Ginny whispered, reaching out for his hand blindly. She felt a little better when he took it and held onto it firmly. "I can't see."

Harry sighed. "I know. One of those bastard Beaters on Slytherin's team saw you falling and hit a bludger at you. Cracked your skull. Madam Pomfrey was scared to magically heal it because of all the fractures. She thought she'd wait until your brain stops swelling before doing any magic, just to be on the safe side."

A moment later, Harry chuckled quietly. "You should have seen the fight that broke out on the field. Malfoy and I went at it, all our Chasers nearly beat the Slytherins off their brooms, and our other beater tried to injure the guy that we thought hit you. We kicked their arses. There's actually one guy from Slytherin a few beds over that looks like he got hexed or something. None of us did it, though, so we don't know what happened." He stopped, realizing that he was beginning to ramble.

Ginny didn't say anything, trying to absorb everything. After a long moment, she whispered, "Did we win?"

Harry chuckled, playing with her hand absently. "Nah. The match got called because of the fight. It's been rescheduled for three weeks from today."

"What day is it?" Ginny asked, trying not to focus on the throbbing in her head that was spreading throughout her body.

"Still Saturday, but barely. You've been out for about, uh, fourteen hours, if that's what you're wondering," Harry told her quietly. "Had us all real worried. The entire Quidditch team was here earlier, actually. I'm the only one left; Ron was about to go crazy and Madam Pomfrey finally kicked him out. Said something about him doing his prefect duties and I promised him I'd stay here. He calmed down and left. Hermione, well… um." Harry paused. "It's not really my place, but is something going on with you and Hermione? She hasn't seemed like herself all day."

Ginny cringed, wishing he hadn't asked her about that, of all things. "I… Well, yes, there's something going on, but I don't… I don't feel like talking about it."

Harry squeezed her hand gently. "That's fine. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Ginny returned the squeeze, releasing his hand and letting her hand rest on the bed beside her. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by what sounded like Madam Pomfrey bustling around. The high voice of the Healer witch came just a moment later, proving Ginny's fleeting thought right.

"Mister Potter! I believe our patient needs some rest. You can come back later when she's feeling better, of course, but for now, I think you should leave," the old witch said quickly, walking over and putting a small vial of potion into Ginny's empty hands. "Drink this; it'll help the pain."

Harry leaned down and touched Ginny's shoulder gently. "I'll see you later, Gin, okay?"

Ginny nodded, letting Madam Pomfrey help carefully lift the potion to her mouth. She drank it quickly; Madam Pomfrey's potions were notorious for their awful taste. She sat back and shuddered, listening as Harry's footsteps faded and the Hospital Wing door opened and closed.

Almost immediately, Madam Pomfrey was muttering to herself about the nerve of kids and the patients needing rest. Ginny forced herself not to grin, instead asking for a sleeping draught. Her thoughts were still drifting back to Hermione, and for once, Ginny didn't even want to think about the brunette. As she drank the draught, she sank back against her pillow and welcomed a dreamless sleep.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione stood outside of the Hospital Wing, pacing back and forth nervously. She'd been there ever since the match had been called, waiting outside for news about Ginny. She felt awful about not entering the room, but couldn't bring herself to. She didn't want to admit it, but she was actually a little scared of Ginny. More than what Ginny could do to her, Hermione was scared of what had happened to Ginny. The last thing Hermione wanted was to see her friend lying in a bed, so beaten up and mangled that she was unrecognizable.

The door opened, and an exhausted-looking Harry stepped out. Hermione nearly pounced on him. "How is she?" she asked urgently, terrified of his answer.

Harry shrugged, a little smile on his face that calmed the brunette's nerves a bit. "She's okay. She was a little scared that she couldn't see, but she's not hurting too bad, as far as I can tell."

"She can't see?" Hermione gasped, her heart jumping into her throat.

Harry touched her arm gently to calm her. "It's just because of a bandage over her eyes. Her skull cracked when that Bludger hit her in the head, and Madam Pomfrey didn't want to heal anything until her brain stopped swelling."

Hermione nearly fainted. Ginny's brain was swelling? She placed a hand on the wall to steady herself, looking up at Harry anxiously. "She's going to be okay, right?" Her mind raced even as she tried to reassure herself. Of course Ginny would be okay. She had to be. Hermione couldn't even imagine what she'd do if Ginny wasn't, or worse, if she died.

At the mere thought of losing Ginny, Hermione's chest tightened and she started feeling dizzy. For some reason, Hermione wished she could take Ginny's place. She would rather die herself than have Ginny die.

Harry looked at Hermione curiously for a moment, reaching out and resting his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, 'Mione, what's going on?"

Hermione looked at him quizzically, her gaze drifting over her shoulder to the door into the Hospital Wing. She bit her lower lip, trying to focus on what Harry was saying. "What do you mean?"

Harry groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Girls," he groaned under his breath. "I meant what's the deal with you and Ginny? You and her both seem a little off. What's going on?"

Hermione hesitated, trying to think of a convincing lie, but the look on Harry's face told her that he wasn't going to let her get away with anything but the truth. She sighed, Ginny's angry words echoing through her mind once more. "We had a fight. I found her in the common room late last night, and she was crying. She wouldn't tell me why when I asked her, and we started yelling at each other. We haven't spoken since." With another sigh, she looked at Harry. "That's basically it in a nutshell."

Harry nodded once, looking at Hermione seriously. "I don't mean to pry, but what happened? It must have been something big to make you two stop talking; you two are inseparable."

Hermione's face darkened and her eyes burned with tears at the memory. "She… she called me a… Mudblood."

Harry's jaw dropped open. "Ginny? You're kidding!"

Hermione shook her head, blinking her tears away fiercely, determined not to cry. "I… Harry, it just… it **hurt**, hearing that from her. She's the one person I know will always accept me for who I am, no questions asked. She's always there when I need her, and I try to return the favor whenever I can. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do when she shuts me out." She swallowed past a lump that had grown in her throat.

Harry reached out and touched Hermione's arm. "Go in there and see her," he whispered, his eyes conveying his seriousness. "You're worrying too much, and I know my saying that she's fine won't do anything to calm you down. After that, I'll be there for you if you want to talk. Sound good?"

Hermione drew a long breath and nodded slowly, shooting Harry a small, grateful smile.

Harry returned the smile, stepping out of Hermione's way and allowing her access to the door into the Hospital Wing. "Go see her," he said again, watching her as she walked past him and rested her hand on the doorknob.

Hermione hesitated, then opened the door and stepped into the Hospital Wing. She shut the door behind herself quietly, looking around the quiet room. With a grim smile, she saw the Slytherin player she'd hexed lying in a bed, a large bandage on his backside. Hermione continued looking around, keeping her eyes peeled for the red hair she knew so well. She couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her when she located the ginger hair of her best friend, the sight of Ginny in the Hospital Wing finally making everything seem real.

Hermione walked closer as though in a daze, her eyes coming to rest on the large bandage around Ginny's head. Ginny lay nearly motionless in her bed; the only movement was that of her chest rising up and down as she breathed.

Hermione sank into the seat by Ginny's bed, staring at her best friend. "I'm sorry, Ginny," she whispered, knowing that Ginny couldn't hear her; there was a small vial on the nightstand labeled 'sleeping draught.' "I'm so, so sorry." Hermione reached out and took Ginny's hand gently, lacing their fingers together and stroking the back of Ginny's hand with her thumb.

This time, she couldn't stop the tears. Hermione's vision blurred and she pressed the back of Ginny's hand against her cheek. As tears slipped down her cheeks, she stared at the bandage over Ginny's head, wishing and praying that Ginny would be okay.

Hermione sat at Ginny's side until Madam Pomfrey discovered her and shooed her out of the Hospital Wing, retreating to her dorm room. Hermione drew the curtains around her bed and collapsed onto the red and gold comforter. She pulled a pillow into her arms, curling herself around it as her mind remained on the youngest Weasley.

An ache had settled in her chest as she cried at Ginny's besdie, and Hermione decided to focus on that. Her heart had felt as if it was shattering when she looked at Ginny. The intensity of her own distress for the redhead had felt suffocating. She found her own reaction somewhat strange, chalking it up to the heightened emotions created by their fight.

The exhaustion that came with crying suddenly hit Hermione, and before she could think of anything else, she drifted off to sleep.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

After a week in the Hospital Wing, Ginny was finally allowed to return back to the Gryffindor dorm. She had gotten the bandage around her head removed a few days before, granting a relieved Ginny her sight once again. The only thing that was still slowing Ginny down was some soreness and dizziness that Madam Pomfrey said would clear up with time.

Ginny returned to the common room and was met with the sound of her housemates cheering and applauding. She received many a pat on the back and words of congratulations, not to mention many wishes that she would get well soon.

Ginny couldn't help herself; she glanced around the common room, looking for Hermione. She wasn't mad at the older girl, she never had been, and was aching to fix things between them. Her gaze found the brunette curled up in a chair across the room, staring intently at a book that lay open in her lap. Ginny's heart sank at the indifference Hermione was displaying, and a small flame of resentment flickered to life in the pit of her stomach.

The redhead turned and spoke to the crowd of her supporters. "Thanks, guys, I really appreciate this, but I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed, so I guess I'll see you all tomorrow."

Everyone seemed to understand, and Ginny turned and ascended the stairs, heading to her dorm. She couldn't hold back a giggle when she saw what her roommates had done to their dorm. A large banner was strung up across the room, large letters that said "Welcome Back Ginny!" in sparkling text lighting up the room.

Ginny went over to her four poster, slipping off her shoes and changing into her pajamas before easing herself into her bed. She sank back against her pillows, closing her eyes and breathing a sigh of relief. It was nice to be in her own bed again. After a moment, her thoughts drifted back to Hermione without permission. Tears burned in Ginny's eyes as she remembered the apathy Hermione had displayed in the common room.

Without a sleeping draught, Ginny was left alone with her thoughts, finally crying herself to sleep and dreaming dreams of the brunette she loved more than anyone else in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione didn't visit Ginny any more after that first night, partly because the bandage was to be removed soon, and partly because she was suddenly having strange feelings every time she thought about her best friend. She kept visualizing what she would do when Ginny returned to the Gryffindor common room once she was released from the Hospital Wing, each scenario ending with either tears and hurt or a tender kiss.

Hermione shuddered every time she thought about it. She wasn't gay. She couldn't be gay. She'd never been attracted to a girl before, much less pictured kissing one. Definitely not in the way she pictured kissing Ginny. Besides, Ginny was her best friend! Wouldn't that be wrong or disgusting? Even as she pondered the idea, Hermione knew it didn't feel wrong to think of Ginny in that way. It was just… different and very, very strange.

She often found her thoughts drifting to the redhead, and Hermione had to really force herself to focus on what she was doing at the time. She actually managed to ignore an entire lecture in Ancient Runes because of she was busy doodling a picture of Ginny in the margin of her notes. Not that missed lecture mattered, of course; she'd already memorized the material.

Hermione both looked forward to and dreaded Ginny's return to Gryffindor tower. Honestly, she was only dreading it because she was scared of what she might do when Ginny entered the room. Hermione knew it was altogether possible that she'd leap up and kiss her best friend in light of her sudden feelings for the girl.

She couldn't help herself when the idea popped into her head. Hermione went to Ginny's roommates and asked if they would mind if she decorated the room for Ginny's return. Nothing too flashy, just a little something to welcome the redhead back. The girls agreed, and Hermione quickly designed and created a large banner that said "Welcome Back Ginny!" in flashy text. She hung it over Ginny's bed, swearing Ginny's roommates to secrecy.

Hermione spent the day Ginny was released from the Hospital Wing counting the hours until the younger girl's return. She stayed in the commons, sitting on the couch nearest the fire and staring into the ever-changing flames. Her mind was still running wild with

When people began gathering around the door and yelling Ginny's name, Hermione grabbed the nearest book and curled up on the couch, pretending to be engrossed in the text. Her conscience ate away at her for the action, but she couldn't quite make herself face the redhead.

She sensed Ginny's eyes on her, and it took all of her concentration not to look up at her. Once Ginny went up to her dorm, Hermione threw the book into the seat beside her and buried her face in her hands. She wished she knew what to do or how to solve whatever had come between them. Wherever they were, Hermione decided, was an absolutely terrible place to be.

The next few days passed miserably for Hermione, who pretended she was busy doing something whenever Ginny was nearby. It was easier, it seemed, to pretend and avoid her friend rather than try to sort through her muddled feelings.

However, as much as she tried to avoid her feelings, Hermione often found herself lying awake at night, contemplating and wondering what exactly she felt. Why had she always forced away the thoughts of her best friend being beautiful? It was no secret; the entire male population of Hogwarts seemed to think Ginny was the most gorgeous girl ever known to man.

Besides, it wasn't like straight girls didn't say that another girl looked 'gorgeous in that dress' or anything of the like. So, the real question, Hermione decided, was why it made her feel so strange to think of Ginny as beautiful, and why in the world she had an urge to kiss Ginny.

She sat back and closed her eyes, her mind going back to the first time she and Ginny met.

_Hermione walked into the Burrow and grinned when Ron and Harry bounded over to greet her. The trio exchanged hugs and were quickly ushered to the dinner table where Molly had served lunch._

_There were many stories told and many laughs shared, but suddenly, Hermione heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs.  
"Mummy, have you seen my blue jumper?" a timid voice asked._

_Everyone turned at the sound of the voice. On the stairs was a short girl with the signature red hair of the Weasely clan, wide blue eyes, and a blush that put Ron's to shame._

_Harry greeted her with a nod of his head, turning back to his Quidditch discussion with Ron. Hermione, on the other hand, stared at the girl on the stairs, a curious warm and fuzzy sensation filling her being. Their eyes met for a moment and Hermione had trouble remembering to breathe._

_"It's in your trunk, Ginny, dear," Molly said distractedly, shooting Fred and George suspicious glares as a squawk came from the kitchen._

_Hermione watched as the girl, Ginny, nodded and hurried back up the stairs. The strange feeling lingered in her mind for days afterward, finally fading into Hermione's subconscious…_

That strange feeling she'd had so many years ago… What had it been? Could it have been love?

Hermione groaned. Life was so confusing…

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Ginny took it easy in her classes for the next few days, relishing the light load of homework that most of her teachers were letting her get away with. Snape, of course, assigned a ten page essay on a energy increasing draught. Ginny briefly considered asking Hermione for help, but the older girl was apparently still ignoring her, so, Ginny struggled through her essay alone. When she finished, she knew that she'd get high marks, not top marks like she would have if Hermione had helped her, but high marks nonetheless.

She made regular visits to the Hospital Wing as per Madam Pomfrey's request, getting checked up on. She remained sore for a while, mostly because she wasn't allowed to practice or exercise at all.

Before long, it was time for the rematch. Ginny didn't announce whether or not she was going to play, but she was secretly planning on it. Harry and Ron apparently sensed her intentions, because the morning of the match, Ron approached her.

"Hey, Gin, can we talk?" he asked gently, his gaze flicking to Hermione for a split second, no doubt lusting after her again.

Ginny followed his gaze, her heart sinking when she saw the brunette sitting across the common room from her. Hermione, of course, had her nose buried in a book, but she didn't look like she was focused on it. Ginny wondered what could be distracting Hermione for a moment, then shrugged, glancing at her older brother. "If you're going to ask me if I'm playing, the answer is yes. I want to get them back for what happened last time."

"Ginny," Ron said seriously, watching his sister shift in her seat, her annoyance obvious. "Sit in the stands with Hermione today. I don't want you hurting yourself again."

Ginny shot him a glare, hoping Hermione wouldn't see. She hated it when the brunette saw her being mean, especially now that they had fought. The last thing she wanted was for Hermione to think that she had turned into a constantly angry arse.

Ron lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "It wasn't just my idea. Harry would have asked you, but he had to go get in last minute practice with your replacement. I'm worried about you, too. You're our best player, and we need you at the top of your game!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and stood, placing her hands on her hips as she scowled at him. "Yeah, and this has nothing to do with my being your little sister and your supposedly noble attempt at being protective of me."

Ron flushed, crossing his arms over his chest and putting a frown on his face. "Ginny, I won't deny that I'm protective of you, okay? But I know just saying that won't convince you to sit this one out. So just… sit out for the team, yeah?"

Before Ginny could respond, Ron grabbed his broom and walked out of the common room. Ginny glared after him, gingerly easing herself into the nearest chair. She hated it when Ron told her what to do. On the other hand, she reasoned ruefully, she was still sore and tired, so it might be best to sit this game out.

She sat there angrily for a while, snapping out of her reverie when she noticed people leaving the common room decked out in their house colors. With a sigh, Ginny climbed out of the chair and headed toward the pitch.

As Ginny passed through the entrance to the Quidditch pitch, she cast a wistful glance down the hallway toward the Gryffindor locker room, sighing and heading up to the box she knew Hermione usually sat in.

When Ginny stepped into the box, she looked up and saw Hermione watching her, stiffening for a moment before heading to the seat that Hermione had saved for her. The redhead wasn't sure how she felt about the older girl; despite loving her, she was upset that neither of them had made an effort to reconcile. Ginny sat down without a word, not looking at Hermione as the game began, figuring a taste of Hermione's own medicine would make the brunette understand what she was feeling.

Many times, she felt Hermione's gaze on her, ignoring it every time. Ginny hated the part of herself that was making her ignore the brunette; she wasn't sure why she kept pushing away the person she loved most.

Trying not to focus on the older girl, Ginny turned her attention to the game, purposefully over-analyzing every play. As she picked apart the game play-by-play, Ginny was surprised at how badly the Gryffindor team was performing. They were missing nearly every opportunity they got, and Slytherin kept intercepting passes and scoring what should have been Gryffindor goals.

The Beaters weren't doing much of anything, and Harry was looking lost as he flew around in the sky looking for the Snitch.

Ginny rolled her eyes and got up with a snort, heading out of the box. She hurried down the stairs, ignoring the ache in her body and the startled sound Hermione made. Ginny sprinted to the locker room, heading to her locker and beginning to change into her uniform.

As she stepped into her boots, a sound at the door made Ginny look up.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione felt anxiously ill as the Quidditch game started. She so badly wanted to turn and talk to Ginny, even if it was just a comment or question about the game. But Hermione was still scared, though she still wasn't sure why. She supposed it was the yelling at each other that scared her, but deep down she knew that that didn't fit what she was feeling, either. The urge to kiss Ginny was still there, not nearly as strong, but still there.

Hermione struggled not to say anything, trying to focus on the game that was going on above her. Even with her untrained eye, she could tell that the team wasn't playing its best. Hermione didn't have to look at Ginny to know how much the mediocre game of Quidditch was irritating her. Ginny kept fidgeting in her seat, finally snorting and getting up.

Before Hermione even realized Ginny had risen, Ginny was already halfway out of the box. Hermione made a soft cry of surprise, biting down on her lip before jumping up and running after the redhead. She knew instinctively that Ginny was heading for the locker room, hurrying in that direction.

Hermione winced as she stopped in front of the locker room, wishing she was in better shape. She took just a moment to slow her breathing down to normal and massage the stitch in her side before stepping around the corner and walking into the locker room.

Ginny was putting on her Quidditch boots when Hermione came in, already dressed in her uniform. The redhead looked up and met Hermione's gaze for a moment, staring at her intensely before straightening and turning back to her locker.

Hermione swallowed, her heart aching from the look on Ginny's face and the fear of not knowing what Ginny would do. She opened and then closed her mouth a few times, her eyes never leaving Ginny's back. Finally, Hermione closed her eyes and swallowed again, opening her mouth. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Ginny stiffened, closing her locker and turning around to face Hermione. "I'm getting ready to go out there and play," she said quietly.

Hermione opened her eyes and looked Ginny in the eye, relieved that anger was not the foremost emotion in Ginny's eyes. "Why?"

"Because they're making fools of themselves out there. I'm going to go help." Ginny's blue eyes were full of determination.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Ginny wasn't supposed to play for another two weeks, according to Madam Pomfrey. Besides, the last thing Hermione wanted was for Ginny to get hurt again. Hermione had been so scared for Ginny the last time; she wasn't sure that she could handle it if Ginny got hurt again so soon. Before she could even think, words were spilling from her lips. "Ginny, please, don't do this. You could get hurt again. I don't want that to happen. Not again. Please!"

Ginny hesitated, looking up at Hermione for a long moment before her eyes filled with an unreadable expression. "Since when do you care?" Her voice was quiet and even.

Hermione faltered, Ginny's words stinging and hurting more than she thought they might. "W-what? Ginny, I've always cared!"

"Then where were you these past three weeks?" Ginny shot back, the gleam of tears becoming evident in her eyes. "Why weren't you there for me?"

Hermione felt her eyes burn with tears. "I was scared of you!" she retorted. "But I suppose you thought that I was going around being my 'stuck-up, know-it-all Mudblood' self, right? Well, you were wrong. I was scared to death to have to face you again; I hate arguing with you!"

Ginny paled. "Hermione, I-I…"

"I didn't want to ignore you," Hermione continued, screwing her eyes shut. "I just… I didn't know what else to do! We've never really fought, so I don't know how to deal with this…" Hermione sighed, opening her eyes and glancing at a teary-eyed Ginny. Before Ginny could speak, Hermione quickly said what was on the tip of her tongue. "I'm sorry I was so pushy that night, Gin. I… just… I hate to see you crying. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, but you're my best friend, and I care about you. I can't help but feel protective of you."

Ginny swallowed hard and looked away as she absorbed Hermione's words. "It's my fault," she finally choked out, avoiding Hermione's eye. "I was... well, I _am_ hiding something from you. I shouldn't have snapped at you, and I'm sorry." After a long moment, Ginny looked at Hermione, feeling nearly as bad as she had the night of their fight.

The expression on Hermione's face showed that she wanted to know what it was that Ginny was hiding, but she held her tongue and watched Ginny's every move carefully and quietly.

Ginny held Hermione's gaze for a moment, wishing she could mask the emotions that she knew were flashing across her face. She knew Hermione would be able to tell something was still wrong. With a sigh, Ginny turned and grabbed her broomstick, shutting her locker and starting to walk out of the locker room.

Before she could even get three feet away from Hermione, Ginny felt the older witch's hand on her arm. She stopped and turned to look at the young woman she loved, tears filling her eyes at the thought, realizing how much she'd lost because of one mistaken insult.

Hermione was staring at Ginny intensely, chewing on her lower lip adorably, the way she always did when she was thinking about something. Ginny couldn't even finish the thought before Hermione leaned forward and kissed her gently. Immediately, Ginny felt like she was soaring. All reality faded away as Hermione's lips lingered against hers.

Ginny's broom slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor loudly as she basked in what felt like heaven.

At the sudden noise, Hermione jumped and pulled away, a blush darkening her cheeks. Her hazel eyes darted from Ginny's face to the floor and back again. "Ginny, I… um… that… I-I, uh…" she stammered, her voice trailing off uncomfortably.

Ginny stood there and stared at Hermione for a long moment, trying to make herself believe that it was real.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered, her eyes going to the floor again. "I… I don't know what came over me. I-"

"Hermione," Ginny said quietly, waiting until Hermione looked at her to speak. "Don't apologize. I've wanted you to do that for forever." She watched as confusion, then understanding, dawned in Hermione's eyes. "I'm gay," she murmured, answering Hermione's unspoken question. "And I'm in love with you, 'Mione. I'm head over heels in love with you."

Hermione was silent for a few minutes, studying Ginny intently as emotions flickered through her eyes.

Ginny faltered under Hermione's gaze, the gravity of what she'd just said hitting her. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that she might have just ruined their friendship. She averted her eyes, choosing to look at her feet instead of Hermione.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, Hermione's fingers brushed against her cheek, lifting Ginny's chin.

Ginny hesitated before looking into Hermione's eyes, afraid of what she'd see in them. Ginny didn't get the chance to see the emotions in Hermione's eyes, though, because before she knew what was happening, Hermione had cupped her face in her hands and was kissing her again.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione's neck, drawing the older girl closer. Her heart felt like it might explode, she was so happy.

The two girls broke apart a few seconds later, standing there in each other's arms and gazing at each other silently. Both girls' eyes were sparkling with affection and happiness.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, searching Ginny's eyes for any sign of forgiveness.

"Me, too," Ginny responded quietly, gently curling her fingers into Hermione's hair. After a moment, she opened her mouth to speak. "Hey, 'Mione? Do you… I mean, um… Do you like me, too?"

Hermione inhaled slowly, watching Ginny's expression intently. After a moment, she nodded, finally at peace with the strange feelings she'd been having. They had been more than just friendly worry and affection, after all. "I love you, too," she murmured, a smile spreading across her face as she uttered the words.

They shared a few more sweet kisses, relishing the newfound peace between them. The sound of the halftime horns startled the girls out of their silence, and Ginny reluctantly pulled herself out of Hermione's embrace and picked up her broom.

"Ginny…" Hermione started, sounding anxious.

Ginny tossed Hermione an easy smile, reaching for her hand and giving it a warm squeeze. "Don't worry. I'll be okay." She hesitated, giggling at the cheesiness of her next statement. "Can I have a good luck kiss?"

Hermione didn't look completely convinced, but chuckled and gave Ginny a tender kiss.

When Ginny finally pulled away, she grinned at the older girl before hurrying off toward the pitch.

Hermione sank down on the bench in front of Ginny's locker, her heart swelling with love. She let a smile appear on her face, feeling happier than she remembered feeling in a long time. "Good luck, Gin," she whispered, heading back to the stands as the memory of the past few minutes played over and over in her head.


	5. Chapter 5

When Ginny ran over and stepped into the team's huddle, everyone cheered. She received appreciative high fives from her fellow Chasers, and the girl that had been playing in her position gave her a grateful look and fled the field. Ron gave her a relieved look, sending a rush of pride through Ginny.

"That was pathetic," Ginny told the team as she stepped into the huddle, taking the hair band Katie Bell offered her and pulling her hair into a quick ponytail. "We need to get this back together and kick Slytherin's tail like we were supposed to last time!"

Harry grinned at her, clapping her on the shoulder. "Remember who's captain, Gin," he said, raising an eyebrow playfully.

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him, but remained silent and let Harry direct the team.

Harry leaned in slightly and looked each team member in the eye. "Okay, everyone, play in your normal positions; make sure that Ginny gets the Quaffle. We need some points, and we need 'em bad. I'll work on catching the Snitch. Everyone ready?" He stuck his hand out. "Gryffindor on three. One, two, three…"

"Gryffindor!" the team yelled, breaking apart and climbing onto their brooms. A few moments later, the teams gathered in the middle of the pitch and, after Madam Hooch blew the whistle, the second half of the Quidditch match began.

Ginny got the Quaffle and soared toward the goal, faking the keeper out and scoring a quick ten points for Gryffindor.

Almost immediately, the team spirit was back. The Gryffindor fans were on their feet, clapping and cheering for their team. Ginny flew back toward the stand where Hermione was just sitting back down. She held up a triumphant fist at the crowd, only having eyes for Hermione.

Hermione grinned and gave Ginny two thumbs up. She blew Ginny a quick kiss, blushing as she did so.

Ginny's smile was so wide it almost hurt the muscles in her face. Feeling empowered, she turned back to the game. Within the next twenty minutes, Ginny had scored thirteen more goals, lowering the deficit from seventeen goals to four.

She glanced at Hermione, who was on her feet, cheering and screaming, knowing even from a distance that Hermione was cheering for her and only her.

"Gin!" someone yelled, and Ginny's head snapped around, her eyes quickly locating the Quaffle. She shot over toward it and caught it, dodging and swerving around the Slytherin players, headed for the goal.

Harry soared past her, Malfoy struggling to keep up behind him. Ginny grinned, doing a barrel roll to dodge a Slytherin Chaser. The Chaser wasn't going to let that stop him, however. He was back beside Ginny a second later, swerving into her as he tried to regain the Quaffle.

Ginny growled at him, slamming her shoulder into him as hard as she could. She used the moment he took to regain his composure to throw the Quaffle to Katie. "Bell!" she yelled, alerting Katie to the Quaffle that was flying toward her. The next second, she was nearly knocked off her broom.

Ginny quickly righted herself and looked around in time to dodge another attack from the Slytherin. Before she could reorient herself, the Slytherin hurtled into her. Ginny, only holding on with her right hand and left knee, hung onto her broom desperately as she went flying toward the stands.

She flew into the large tower, ripping through the canvas and crashing into the wooden structure. Pain blinded her senses and Ginny was only vaguely aware of her broom slipping out of her hand as she fell.

Everything else went dark before she hit the ground.

_..-=*^*=-.._..-=*^*=-.._

Hermione sat in the chair she had pulled to Ginny's bedside, holding Ginny's hand and biting her nails absently. She had known something would happen to Ginny, and had been regretting letting the redhead play ever since. Hermione pressed the back of Ginny's hand to her cheek, kissing it gently. She grinned at the realization of how natural the actions seemed, and the knot of tension in her stomach loosened a little.

Just then, Ginny stirred and opened her eyes. She glanced around, grinning when she saw Hermione sitting at her side. "Hey," she mumbled groggily. A sleepy frown passed over Ginny's face. "Hey, 'Mione? Did we… in the locker room… um. Was I dreaming that up?" she finished, waking up a little and looking somewhat nervous.

Hermione answered by giving Ginny a warm kiss, grateful that her little redhead was awake. When she pulled away, Ginny's grin was so bright, Hermione could have sworn the room lit up a little. "You weren't dreaming," she affirmed unnecessarily.

Ginny nodded, squeezing Hermione's hand tightly.

"I've been worried sick," Hermione informed Ginny a moment later, leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on Ginny's forehead. "You've been laying here for hours without moving, and Madam Pomfrey keeps shaking her head when she examines you." Her brow wrinkled as she spoke. "I can't tell if that's because of your injury, or something else entirely."

Ginny shrugged, her grin still in place despite the aches and pains she was beginning to feel full force. "It's probably just because she hates Quidditch. I can't imagine she likes that the teams go out and purposefully try to injure each other."

Hermione frowned. "I don't like it either," she decided after mulling it over for a second. "Not if you get hurt here every time you have a game." Her voice was playful but her meaning was sincere.

Ginny laughed, leaning back against her pillows, keeping a firm grip on Hermione's hand. "I love you, 'Mione," she murmured, her cheeks darkening a few shades at the natural admission. "And trust me, it's not on purpose."

Hermione smiled when she heard Ginny's laugh; it made her inexplicably happy. "Just try not to get hurt," she murmured, giving Ginny another quick kiss before Madam Pomfrey bustled over.

"Ah, you're awake," the Healer witch said, reaching out and prodding Ginny's right leg. Ginny winced, not without Madam Pomfrey's notice, or Hermione's, for that matter.

"Don't hurt her!" Hermione interjected, glancing at Ginny quickly to make sure that Ginny wasn't hurting again. Ginny couldn't help but smile shyly at the protective look that graced Hermione's features, still in awe at the knowledge that Hermione loved her back.

Madam Pomfrey turned and shot Hermione a stern look. "I'm just checking to see if the bone healed well," she responded tightly, turning to Ginny. "You shattered your femur," she told Ginny, still poking and prodding the leg. Finally, after Ginny winced a few more times and Madam Pomfrey seemed satisfied, she pulled out her wand and murmured a quick spell. "The brew partially healed and set the bone back in place; the spell finished the rest of the healing," she explained.

Ginny looked down at her leg, surprised at the sudden absence of pain. After a moment, she looked up at the old witch wryly. "I don't suppose you could have done that earlier," she said, trying her best to keep from sounding sarcastic.

Madam Pomfrey apparently chose to ignore Ginny's comment, instead saying something about the bone being healed rather well and that Ginny would be able to get out of the Hospital Wing by morning. She hurried off a few moments after giving her diagnosis, going to tend to another patient.

Ginny grinned at Hermione, feeling better now that her leg was back in working order.

"You broke your leg?" Hermione asked softly, looking surprised.

Ginny nodded, shrugging a little. "No big deal," she said reassuringly. "I cracked my skull last time."

Hermione weighed the options of revealing what all she knew of the past few weeks to Ginny quickly in her mind, finally nodding back. She knew from experience that Ginny didn't like to have things hidden from her, and she was positive that it would not be good to start off their relationship without being completely honest. "I know."

"You do?" Ginny raised an eyebrow at the brunette. "Did Harry or Ron tell you? Or did word just get around?"

Hermione opened her mouth, closing it again before deciding to tell the truth. "Harry told me when I came in to visit you," she responded in a small voice.

Ginny frowned, her eyes going far away as she tried to remember. "You… what? I don't remember you being here."

The older witch's expression grew sheepish. "I came after you fell asleep one day."

Ginny looked at Hermione curiously. "Really?"

Hermione nodded, playing with Ginny's hand absently. "It was killing me, knowing you were in here hurting and I couldn't do much of anything about it. I just… I guess I had to make sure that you were still alive. I was scared," she finished simply, not really knowing what else to say.

Ginny squeezed Hermione's hand gently, unsure of how to better comfort her best friend. After a few moments of silence had passed, a question popped into Ginny's mind. "So, if you knew about that, what else do you know about?"

A mischievous grin crossed Hermione's face. "Well, I know who jinxed that Slytherin during the match right after you got hurt."

Ginny gaped at Hermione. "You're kidding!" she whispered, hardly able to believe that Hermione, of all people, had been the attacker. A swell of pride and adoration grew in her chest.

Hermione shook her head, opening her mouth to continue. "And I also know about that banner in your dormitory when you got back," she said, her voice trailing off and her cheeks darkening.

"That was you, too?" Ginny asked, feeling a rush of love for the girl sitting beside her.

Hermione nodded, averting her eyes as her blush deepened.

"Hermione," Ginny called softly after a pause. When the brunette didn't look at her, Ginny reached out and cupped Hermione's face in her hands, forcing her to meet her gaze. "I love you," Ginny whispered with a smile, leaning forward and kissing Hermione gently.

Both girls were blushing a little bit when they broke apart, but they shared smiles of equal happiness.

"I love you, too, Gin," Hermione responded, shifting to sit on the edge of Ginny's bed.

Ginny took Hermione's hands in her own and stroked the backs of them with her thumbs. She stared at their intertwined hands for a moment, looking up at Hermione with an uneasy smile. "Hey, 'Mione," she began awkwardly. "I have a question."

"I'm listening," Hermione responded, enjoying every second of Ginny's attention.

"Are we, um… Well, do you want to maybe… possibly be my… girlfriend?" Ginny blushed and looked back down at their hands.

Hermione grinned at Ginny's nervousness, squeezing her hands gently. "I'd love to," she said seriously, laughing when Ginny's face broke into a bright smile.

"I must be the luckiest girl in the entire world," Ginny murmured, beaming at the brunette.

"Really? Why's that?" Hermione asked with a chuckle.

"I've got the most amazing girlfriend in the entire world," Ginny responded softly, kissing a blushing Hermione again.

Both girls melted into the embrace, glad to have each other, no matter what the future would bring.


	6. Epilogue

Hey everyone, just an announcement for those of you that had this on Alert: This story has been edited and some parts have even been rewritten. I hope you enjoy the revamped version of Midnight Fight!

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Ginny thumbed through the newest copy of _Quidditch Weekly, _looking up when the door opened. She smiled at the sight of a harried Hermione struggling to fit her briefcase through the door. "Hard day at the office, dear?" she teased as Hermione dropped the briefcase to the floor and flopped down in the chair at Ginny's bedside.

Hermione nodded wearily. "You wouldn't believe some of the things people send in to the Minister. I had to accept three hundred pints of firewhiskey, six dead plants, a stale cake, and a trampoline."

Ginny laughed at the list, setting the magazine aside and reaching for Hermione's hand. "You're kidding."

Hermione shook her head seriously. "I guess it was an accident, but the delivery man wouldn't leave until I accepted it, so now the Minister has a half-size trampoline sitting in his office. I can't wait to see his reaction when he comes back from vacation." She drew a breath and shook her head, clearing her mind before looking up at Ginny. "Enough talk about my exciting secretarial duties. How was the game?"

Ginny stifled a stray giggle at the mental image of the Minister of Magic playing on a trampoline, instead turning her thoughts to the game. "Fine, I guess. According to Duggan, our new team captain, I scored the last goal of the game right before I crashed into the goalpost."

Hermione grinned and feigned exasperation. "Good grief, Gin. This makes, what, three times this season you've forgotten to look where you're going? I swear, I see you more here than I do back at our flat!"

Ginny stuck her tongue out at her beautiful girlfriend, grinning and shifting on the bed to make room for Hermione. The brunette immediately obliged Ginny's unspoken request, slipping off her high heels and climbing up beside Ginny on the bed. "Sorry I couldn't be there," she murmured to Ginny as she wrapped her arms around the redhead.

"Don't worry about it," Ginny responded amiably, snuggling into Hermione's embrace. "You're here now, and that's what matters."

Hermione blushed, a smile spreading across her face. "I love you, Gin," she whispered, kissing the redhead on the cheek quickly.

"I love you more," Ginny replied teasingly, pulling Hermione's wand out of her pocket and giving it a flick and a swish. Soft music began playing, and the lights dimmed considerably. She set the wand beside her on the nightstand, cuddling against Hermione again.

Hermione laughed. "Why, Ginny Weasely! Are you trying to seduce me, in your condition?"

"Nope, just wanted to spend some romantic 'us' time," Ginny answered shyly, smiling at the knowledge that Hermione could still make her feel like she had all those years ago.

"You're so sweet, Gin," Hermione cooed with a kiss to Ginny's forehead.

They laid there together for a while, sharing soft kisses and telling each other short stories about their days. Finally, Ginny could barely keep her eyes open and was stifling yawns.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at the sweet way Ginny nestled her head against her shoulder. "Get some rest," the brunette murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Ginny's head.

"You leaving?" Ginny asked, peering up at Hermione through one half-open eye.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "The office is closed tomorrow for the Minister's birthday. I think I'll spend the night here, unless that's a problem."

"Hell no!" Ginny retorted, hugging Hermione close. "I love falling asleep in your arms! It's my favorite place in the world."

Hermione didn't even try to wipe the silly smile off her face, instead gently running her fingers through Ginny's hair and breathing in the redhead's scent. Soon, Ginny was fast asleep with a small smile on her face.

The brunette's thoughts drifted to the little black box that was hidden in her briefcase, a smile of her own stretching across her face. She'd bought it earlier that day before finding out that Ginny was in the hospital again. Yes, Hermione Granger was finally going to do it. She was going to propose to Ginny, and had actually been planning on doing so that evening, but the redhead had fallen asleep.

_Oh well,_ she thought with a grin. _There's always tomorrow. _She looked down at the sleeping redhead in her arms, her heart swelling with affection. "I love you," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Ginny's head and closing her eyes.

Hermione soon drifted off as well, one last thought running through her mind: _I am the luckiest woman in the world._

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_All in all, I think I rather enjoyed this story (and doing the rewrite, as well!). I hope you did too!_

_Thank you everyone who reviewed, alerted, and/or added this to your favorites; you guys make my day!_


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